Glycoalkaloids are natural molecules metabolized exclusively by plants. Although certain of these molecules can be isolated from plants of the family Liliaceae, they are mostly found in the family Solanaceae, which comprises crop species such as potato, eggplant and tomato.
The growth of the potato industry is accompanied by an inevitable increase in the amount of coproducts produced. The management of this waste is at once an environmental, economic and regulatory issue. Today, the coproducts of this industry are mainly exploited in animal feed. It is thus essential to unlock the potential of this biomass for other industries and to increase their added value.
The potato biosynthesizes glycoalkaloids such as chaconine and solanine, which are found in significant amounts in industrial coproducts. These are secondary metabolites that provide the plant with natural protection against attacks from phytopathogens. They are notably effective against aphids, beetles, leafhoppers, nematodes and fungi.
Chaconines and solanines have a cytotoxic activity by acting on the cell membrane. Two mechanisms of action have been proposed: an action of lysing the membrane itself and an action of inhibiting transmembrane transport. Moreover, they have the ability to inhibit two enzymes essential to nerve transmission, i.e., acetylcholinesterase (AChe) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChe).
Although they have excellent efficacy against pests, some species have developed mechanisms of resistance to such glycoalkaloids.